Hope is a Little Snowflake
by Raven Zero
Summary: After a neardeath experience, Pyrus is comatose, and Zera is left to ponder her feelings over the young prince. PyrusZera. Chapters have been condensed. Next chapter in the works.
1. The Prince has Fallen

**Hope is a Little Snowflake**

By Raven Zero

_(Author's Notes: This is a Pyrus/Zera fanfic. I realized there weren't any out there in the Shadow Raiders fan world after much searching (none that were perverted), so I took the liberty of creating one myself. The story might need some editing, but I hope you guys enjoy it. Let me know if I should keep writing.)_

_(Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own Shadow Raiders, nor any of the characters portrayed in this story, because they all belong to Mainframe Inc. If I did, I'd continue the series, and I'd end it properly. _

_As for if a romance will occur between the two lovable kids, we might never know, but I have hopes.)_

_A tribute to fans everywhere. Enjoy._

**Chapter 1: The Prince has Fallen**

The cryochamber was more eerie than I remembered.

I never felt such misery in my life, not since my mother died. The sensation of tears stung my eyes, but with much effort, I forced them back. My face cringed into a sad expression as I stared back into the unusually blank face of the only other person that joined me in the room: Prince Pyrus.

There he was, lying in the cryotube, looking uneasy as he seemingly slept. He was so still, eyes closed, but quivering slightly, the only signs of life noticeable upon his features. His life signs beeped at slow irregular intervals, wounds closing ever so slowly. The power of the nanites were the only things sustaining his internal injuries, and he was barely holding on. I could only imagine the pain he was going through.

For a while, ever since the accident, I tried to keep my feelings small. Concerned, yes. . . responsible, yes. . . other than that. . .

_Pyrus is not a friend,_ I kept saying to myself. _We are completely different, from two completely different worlds, with nothing in common._

But recently, things had been changing my mind.

Little over two years now have passed since the planets aligned themselves with one another. We devoted some of that time to evade the wrath of the Beast, however the contrary. It's been days since they've last attacked, and that's how long Pyrus has been in his coma.

Cryos, my father, made his presence a few minutes later.

"Hello Zera," he said warmly. "How is the prince?"

"Healing, slowly," I replied. "This never took so long before. . . why does it now?"

"His wounds were deep, my dear," he said, putting a hand over my shoulder. "His recovery will take time. There's no certainty on when he will awaken."

I nodded, looking back at Pyrus, still the same as I last looked at him. Never have I seen him so vulnerable, the way his eyebrows frowned, and the strange contentedness in his expression. It was something I've never seen before; I guess I was too used to seeing the hot-headed stubborn boy teenager that I've grown accustomed to meeting in the halls, which I always gave the courtesy to glare at whenever we met. That boy wasn't there anymore, and that was scaring me.

"It was brave of him to save you from the crash," my father continued. "And I'm glad you're alright, my precious snowflake."

"But at what cost?" I whispered, looking at Pyrus again. "If I wasn't so careless. . . if I only paid more attention, Pyrus wouldn't be here like this. . . " I couldn't hold back anymore. I choked back a sob, letting a flood of tears stream down my cheeks. "It's all my fault!"

Father knelt down and held his arms out. Feeling the need to take refuge in his arms, I accepted his invitation, and he held me tight, letting my emotions pour into him. His voice became gentle as he rubbed my back.

"Everything is going to be fine, my dear," he cooed. "Pyrus will pull through just fine; he's a strong young man, and he has friends to guide and support him."

I sniffled. "Pyrus will never forgive me. . . he almost died. . . he might never walk again, or speak, or see. . . he might. . ."

He placed a finger on my lips, looking me in the eyes, filling me with a sense of reassurance. "I think it's best that you speak to him; it might help his recovery go a little faster."

Still recovering from myself, "But. . . I. . . Pyrus. . . he's unconscious. . ."

"He is, but that doesn't mean his senses are completely disabled," He turned to Pyrus. "He could be listening to us right now. We aren't sure, but it's a possibility." Then he turned to me, wiping the tears from my eyes. "It won't hurt to try."

With that, father kissed me on the forehead. "I'll leave you two to yourselves." He left the room quietly.

After seeing him go, I sat myself down, clouded in thought. The silence engulfed the room once more. It felt almost like forever before I came up with the right words to say to him. And when I did, a slight tension gripped my heart.

"Lavahead," I finally said. "That's what I always called you. It was kind of funny, the way we rivalled against one another, calling each other names, always trying to prove which one of us was better at what." A giggle escaped me, something I couldn't help.

"We used to sort of hate each other," I continued. "We kept denying we were friends, even when we helped each other in bad situations. . . pulled through narrow escapes. . . worked as a team. . . I guess we thought we were just partners."

I sighed, leaning up against the tube, turning circles with my foot.

"Believe it or not, it's been fun. . . being with you. Whenever I needed someone to pick on. . .whenever I wanted someone to spar with besides Jade. . . whenever I wanted an equal, whenever I felt lonely, and needed. . . a. . ." I paused, realizing what I was about to say ". . . a friend. . ."

Slowly, and almost shyly, I turned around, looking down at Pyrus' closed eyes. Finally, I let it out, "I thought of you, Pyrus."

I leaned forward, pressing my hands and forehead on the glass. It was the only thing that kept me from embracing him.

"Where is the hotheaded matchstick I miss so much?" I cried, sobbing out again. "What will it take to bring you back? Pyrus. . . I'm so sorry. . .!"

After awhile, I let myself slide down, letting my emotions drain me into slumber.

Failing to notice the look on Pyrus' face, and the hand he gently pressed against the glass. . .

- - - - - - - -

A shrill, high-pitched beep startled me awake, followed by the violent shaking of the cryotube. I darted my eyes around frantically, seeing the heart monitor. I suddenly screamed; Pyrus was flat-lining!

"Somebody help! Somebody!"

What horrified me most was Pyrus himself, eyeballs drawn into his sockets, body trembling spasmodically. The doors opened hurriedly to the sound of footsteps.

Several medical personnel ran in and hustled around the tube, working the controls as fast as they could. My father, Graveheart, Jade, Tekla, and Femur with Pelvus not far behind entered the room as well. The doctor, who was the first one on the scene, quickly began shouting orders.

"He's going into convulsions, start the electrical resuscitators!" he barked. A woman ran to a control panel, the sound of the power coils winding up after tapping a few switches. When the ready signal was seen, he nodded. "CLEAR!"

An electrical surge went into Pyrus. His pulse came back briefly, and then gave out after a few seconds.

"Again, CLEAR!"

"C'mon kid! You gotta fight it kid!" cried Femur. "Everyone's rootin' for ya!"

"CLEAR!"

"You can do it Pyrus! You can fight your way back! Fight!" shouted Graveheart.

The whole room was growing loud from everyone's shouting until the doctor told them to hold back and keep quiet. All I could do at that moment was stare and pray. There was a plea that cried out to be heard. If there was ever a better time to deliver, this was it.

"Pyrus. . . don't go away now. . . you have no idea how much you mean to us." My voice grew louder. "Don't give up! You have so much to do… so much to hear…"

"One last time- - -!"

"PYRUS! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!" I screamed, ready to buckle under my knees.

"CLEAR!"

The last jolt of electricity sent Pyrus' pulse back, growing more constant after each heartbeat. I could make out the brief flutter of his eyes before he passed out again. He was back, for now.

The doctor came up to us after speaking to his medical team.

"If you may excuse me, I must continue the analysis with my staff."

"Of course," nodded my father.

And just before we left the room, I took one last moment to look at Pyrus.

"Thank you. . ."  
- - - - - - - -

A few more days had passed. I occasionally paid long visits to Pyrus' chamber every now and then. The people, especially my father, were noticing that I was spending a lot of time there. One day, I was sitting outside, staring at the floor, waiting for the doctors to finish their periodic check up, when Femur took a seat next to me.

"Any word about the kid?" he asked, a frown in place of his usually devious sneer.

I shook my head, "No. The doctors are still looking him over. I'm beginning to worry."

"We all are," Femur also agreed, working up a smile. "Your pop has his best docs on the job, so don't you worry about the little guy. 'Sides, I've seen him pull through a lot of tough scrapes… strong kid. . ."

A slight grin curved over my lips. "I know. . ." Then it faded.

Femur's smile did the same. He looked hesitant after that, breathing in before letting the question pop out. "You two are really close, ain't ya?"

The insinuation made my cheeks flush with embarrassment. Quietly, I looked him in the eyes feeling confounded, yet trying to see if what he had said was closer to the truth than I expected.

Femur knew what that meant, and smiled again. "The kid's lucky to have someone like you, watching over him. He's lost a lot because of this stinkin' war. Must've had a tough time moving on, getting over losing his folks, not to mention his planet. I know I wouldn't've done so well."

I stared expectantly at him.

"If he ever needed anything now, it's you," he placed a hand on my shoulder. "You can't give up on him, no matter what. He's family to me too."

The reassurance was there in his voice, which made my smile grow wider. I scootched close and held him in my tightest hug.

"Thank you," I whispered gratefully.

"Don't mention it kid. Just keep this between us, okay?"

"Sure, I promise."


	2. Memories Linger

_Author's Notes: Hey guys. It's been awhile since I updated! Been really busy with my schoolwork and all, and I might need to re-edit my story. I had some trouble on finding out how the story would develop, but hadn't had time to think about it. Anyways, after pushing in some moments of leisure, I came up with this, the long awaited third chapter of the snowflake story. Hope you appreciate it! _

_Enjoy the read guys._

_(Disclaimer: Yeah, you know this by now.)_

_BTW: How do you italicize the text over ffnet? I keep seeing other people do it. _

**Chapter 2: Memories Linger**

There was a twilight moon gleaming across the orange sky of planet rock. I found myself gazing until the sun slowly died over the horizon as I stood over the balcony that perched just over the airfield behind the palace. It was bustling with activity, the engineers repairing the aircraft and vehicles that were damaged during the beast's last raid.

Memories of that moment still lingered through my mind. That time. . . almost two weeks ago. . .

- - - - - - - -  
"Heheh, got you princess!"

"RRRRRR!"

Pyrus stood over me triumphant, the cushioned end of his trademark battle staff, a dying gift from his father I later learned, trained on me as I sat sorely on the floor of his throne room, our usual sparring place. He then shouldered it and held his hand out, a smile curving over his face. "Here, I'll help you up."

My eyes narrowed, my hand reaching up only to smack it away. I then regained my formal composure, "I'll be fine, lavahead."

"Okay. . ." he said mockingly, passing me my own staff. We quickly ran back to our starting positions and began the exercise once more.

It was one of the many drills that Jade taught us, something to work the senses and reaction timing. We each took reign of one side of the room, backs against a pillar, away from each other's view. As I readied myself, Pyrus called out.

"You ready, Zera?"

"Yes, I'm ready."

"Okay on five. . . one. . . two. . . three. . . four. . ."

Five.

Silence. . . the air was void of any sound except for the crackling of the torches that lit the room, and the sound of my heart beating. I inhaled as much air as I could without making too much noise, then made my first move.

The throne room was very spacious, which was why we chose this place as a sparring ground. Along with the usual décor, ash pots and cargo crates were strewn about, creating a thick maze that made for difficult navigation. It was perfect for this kind of exercise.

Of course, Pyrus didn't make it any easier.

Jade was too busy taking care of her people, so she assigned Pyrus to be my new sparring teacher, much to his and my reluctance. Nonetheless, I still wanted to be a warrior, so I gave in and said okay; I guess I would've been less comfortable if it was some "captain of the guard" giving me lessons. Pyrus still teased me about me going through with this, but he was happy to put me under his tutelage; he had been doing this sort of training all his life, and it gave him the perfect opportunity to boss me around.

Jerk.

Well, at least he had the decency to air condition the room.

I manoeuvred around the room carefully, not letting my pointed toes tap the ground too hard. Pyrus didn't make any sound at all. He was pretty good at this, although I hated to admit it.

Then I heard something metallic make contact with stone. I slowly turned around to follow its source. I crept slowly, staff erect and ready.

The sound came from behind an ash pot, a few metres just ahead of me. I stopped short as I tried to pinpoint Pyrus, tentative for even the subtlest disturbance in the environment. He was close. . . I could almost feel him. . .

Suddenly, the air whirled, and a blinding flash came at the corner of my eye. I turned in a split second, only to see Pyrus in mid-air, legs tucked in, battle staff drawn behind him. Like a ghost, he made no sound, seeming to glide through the air as he landed with utmost precision, ready to attack.

I barely blocked his staff as he came down with his assault. We then struck at each other, parrying each other's attacks. Pyrus was much faster, and I was beginning to wear out. It didn't mean I was going to give up though. I was going to prove to Pyrus I was just as good as he is. There was no sense in surrender.

"Had enough?" he managed to cry out.

"No way," I panted. "I'm not through with you yet!"

But finally, my defensive posture was slackening, and when Pyrus caught me off guard, he makes a swoop at my legs, levelling me off my feet. The floor halted my descent.

Pyrus' smile came back up again. "Had enough now?"

I growled at him angrily. He wasn't intimidated, still wearing the wry grin that seemed to brighten up the features in his face. He offers an outstretched hand.

"Our time's up. How 'bout I take you home?"

There was a slight pause, but Pyrus didn't seem to mind. All I did was sit there, looking at him. Pyrus was still himself, but he also knew when to be courteous, a sign of his royalty showing, despite how we treated each other. The kind gesture to escort me home stunned me for a minute; Pyrus had never offered anything in a manner as this.

Well. . . he did save my life a few times, but the circumstances were different then.

I reached up and took his hand, the contact stinging my palm as the warm mist rose into the air. He pulls me up and releases his grip.

"Fine. Let's go." It was my best reaction.

- - - - - - - -

My mouth went sour as the memory faded. I wished I could've said something better. I was so mean to him. It'll be the only thing he remembers of me before he. . .

No! I should think better of him! If Pyrus is as hotheaded as he always was, he'll make it. . . won't he?

. . . I still worry of him. The coma was very severe, and he may never wake up. Imagining the matchstick. . . no. . . Pyrus. . . spending the rest of his life as a vegetable. . . I'll never see him again. I'd miss him so much. . .

Pyrus. . . I thought.

Just then, Femur entered the room with a childish glee, panting wildly as he stumbled towards me.

I turned around quickly, asking. "Femur? What's wrong?"

He pants again, trying to regain his breath as he choked on his spent lungs. "Kid. . . princess. . . kid. . . (wheez) gonna. . . (hack)!"

"Okay, take a deep breath, and tell me what's wrong."

He followed the instruction, taking several gulps of air before letting it out:

"The kid. . . he's gonna live! He just woke up, and he's recovering!"

My eyes went wide with joy, screaming inwardly as I tried to hold back my enthusiasm. Femur saw it anyway.

"Just let it out princess."

And I did, bursting out with laughter, gripping Femur in what seemed like a deadly clothespin. I buried myself into him, tears stinging my cheeks with delight.

"Hold off! I can't breathe!"

I pulled back, embarrassed a little. "Oh! Sorry!" I giggled.

"The guys are wondering if you liked to know. . ." he said. Then he added slowly. "He. . . wanted to see you."

My expression lightened as I heard him say that. I wasn't sure if I could face him. . . I was still blaming myself for the near death experience he had to endure. But it was a request I couldn't refuse. . . not for him.

"Alright. . . take me to him."

- - - - - - -


	3. Thoughts on the Journey

_Author's Notes: Guess what guys? I'm back! Here's the long awaited fourth chapter. It's pretty big I think, and it's finally finished!_

_Enjoy the read guys._

_(Disclaimer: Yeah, you know this by now.) --'_

**Chapter 3: Thoughts on the Journey**

The sides of the bladewing shook as it made its steady descent through the atmosphere of Planet Ice. The rhythmic chattering of the hull shook my seat, where I sat trying to brace the constant rocking that always made me nauseous. My usual escorts, Draelus and Kylenn, sat at the forward controls navigating.

Flights like this were always boring, so I let my mind wander across the lit panels that coloured the interior, fabricating whatever designs I could decipher from the blinking lights. Femur's escort ship was just ahead, on a course heading to one of the landing fields nearest to the medical facility.

"Transmission coming through, my lady. It's from Emperor Femur. Shall I put him through?"

"Yes Draelus. My private channel, please."

Femur's face emerged from the holo-screen, a worried look etched on his face. "Hey kid. Just. . . wondering how you're holding up."

"I'm alright Femur," I replied, looking between my legs. "I guess I'm a little nervous."

"Well don't be," he said. "It's not like you did anything wrong. What do you have to worry about?"

"A. . . bunch of things. . . the day of the crash. . . what we talked about. . ." I trailed off, unaware as I slowly became overcome with thought. "I still think about it."

"I see," he nods his understanding. "But you should talk to him anyway, he'll be happy to see you. After all, the first thing he did when he woke up was to ask for ya'."

I stared blankly at the floor. "Oh. . . I see. . ."

Femur gave a slight grin. "Well, I guess I'll hang up for now. Take care, princess."

"Thank you Femur." His face dissolved back into the projector as the transmission ended.

I leaned back in my seat, the distress from those seemingly endless days having taken its toll upon my body. I drifted away, letting the world around me drown me in its entirety.

My eyes began to open.

The blackness of space returned to the cockpit window, only the hum of the engines filling the silent gap. The two guards then melted away. The smell of the air changed, and I couldn't feel the floor anymore, nor the seat I was sitting in. Everything became smothered as I awaited the approaching dream.

And as if I was only watching, there was Pyrus sitting at the pilot seat, navigating the bladewing, while I sat next to him arms folded, the foul mood of defeat seeming to cloud over my antennae. He tried to look encouraging.

"Don't feel so bad, Zera. You tried your best," he said. "You just need to take it easy okay? It's not like you're trying to prove something."

"I'm just as good as you are Pyrus," I pouted, looking at him. "Wait until next time. Then I'll show you what I'm really made of."

"You always say that!" he smirked. "And you always end up on the ground, face flat."

I was fuming, looking away and trying to think of something to throw back at him. "Those were just. . . warm-ups! Practice! Nothing more! I'm saving myself for the real showdown, just you wait and see."

"'Real showdown?'" he laughed hysterically. "Man, you're really serious about this, aren't you?"

"Yes," came the retort. "If I'm going to gain the respect of anybody, I'll have to show that I know how to fight."

"Well, I think everyone knows that, including your dad," he smiled.

"I'm going to prove to everyone that I'm not just some spoiled brat who gets her way." An air of determination was in my voice. "That I am not a child anymore, and that I can make my own decisions now." I looked back at Pyrus. "After all, you did. You ruled an entire planet for-"

The cheerfulness in his expression became discoloured as he heard that. I then regretted letting those words leave my lips. He turned himself away, infuriated.

"Pyrus. . . I'm sorry," I said, trying to ease the situation. It had been ages since I had seen that reaction before.

"It wasn't because I wanted to." His tone was low, something I wasn't used to. "I only became a ruler because both my parents died."

"I understand that Pyrus. I just remembered that story." I said. "My father told me."

Pyrus was only four when his father died, his mother having passed away from an illness soon after his birth. It was then that they conferred to him his position as ruler. All the responsibility was forced onto him at such a young age. After that most of his life was buried in conferences, paperwork, and taking care of the needs of his people. He had no friends, since he was mostly shut in the palace being prince. He didn't go to school either, since he had the Vizier to tutor his education. The only time he seemed to come out was to his father's bridge, a lifetime ago, before the Beast devoured his home.

There were times when I could see it in his eyes: the weariness, the dark sacks that hung below those bright blue globes, looking as if they have been drained of all life. Sometimes, even when I insult him, he doesn't seem to fight back anymore. . . everything about him seemed different now. It all seemed wrong.

I looked at him solemnly. I could only come to understand what he had endured his whole life; growing up without his parents, losing the places that embodied his few happy memories, bearing the lone responsibility of being royalty, and finally, losing the Vizier, who was his only remaining parent figure.

Why did all this have to happen to him?

Pyrus gave me an odd glance. "Is there something wrong?"

I blinked awake as I re-emerged from my contemplation, realizing I was still staring at him. Sitting up straight, I avoided the question, trying to revert back to my regal posture as to hide my embarrassment.

He laughs half-heartedly, enjoying that moment of awkwardness. "I never seem to get tired of you, Zera."

"What do you mean by that?" I enquired.

"You're hiding something, I can tell," he replies. "C'mon Zera, spill it."

"I don't know what you're talking about. . ."

He sighed, his face becoming serious. "Zera, something is bothering you. You seem to look worried sometimes, and I'd like to know why."

"I am not worried about anything! Do I look worried to you?"

"You did before!"

And there I was, being immature again, cowering behind my wall of denial, my only defence against his constant prodding for the truth. That was Pyrus, always there with his stalwart approach. How I hated him for that.

"No I didn't!"

"Don't lie, Zera!" The exchange was turning hideous.

"Why are you asking me this, lavahead?"

"BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT YOU OKA-?"

Pyrus suddenly gasped, the revelation of what he just said starting to encompass him. His eyes darted to the floor, then to the cockpit window, quivering as his heart began to batter at his chest. Such was his desperation.

The disbelief came to me as well; my eyes grew to the size of moons before I felt the strange flush reach my cheeks. I saw the same as well in Pyrus. Everything about him seemed to change amidst the silence that followed; the way the flame that towered his head seemed to dazzle the interior of the bladewing, the way the features in his face became tense after his admittance. . .

We both sat quietly, gazing out into space. Pyrus tried his best to stay composed as he continued to follow the flight path, while I fidgeted in the passenger seat beside him. Other than my father, of all people Pyrus was the first to say those kinds of words to me. I put my hands between my knees, feeling the anxiety build from my proximity to him, trying to avoid the urge to glance at him.

For the minutes that passed and we didn't speak, the tension became so much higher. There was no way I could argue with him about this, but I couldn't keep quiet about it either. His words echoed through me, looping like a broken transmission, driving me mad. But in an odd sort of way, it was delightful. . . cute. . .

And of all things. . . flattering?

"Pyrus?" I whimpered, almost pathetically.

There was a delicate pause before he finally responded, "Yes?"

"I. . . I. . . I didn't. . ."

My tone of voice suddenly changed when I saw several black objects pierce the vast theatre of stars, each emanating a terrifying and ominous glow. "Beast drones? Beast drones!"

"Huh? Where?" Pyrus looked and saw them too, an entire squadron coming in from their starboard side, heading towards Planet Ice. They were a kilometre away, so the drones didn't see them.

"They're attacking my home!" I cried, watching the dogfight already ensuing with the ice fleet.

"I'll try to warn the other planets." Pyrus keyed in the link, informing the planet leaders of the incoming assault. While he spoke, I could see contacts blot the sensor display, indicating the approach of other beast squadrons. It looked like another one of their hit and run raids, but this one seemed bigger than the last ones.

After hearing from each of the leaders, he closed the link. "All the planets are on red alert, and they're scrambling everything."

Just then, Pyrus saw the incoming hail of enemy fire, and managed to dodge it. Pyrus spun his head around to see a dozen drones swarm past them, preparing for another attack pattern.

"Uh-oh," said Pyrus, turning the bladewing to port, barely avoiding the next hail as several shots burned skid marks into the underside of the hull.

"Pyrus! Get us out of here!" cried Zera.

"I'm trying!" Pyrus made a zig zag towards Planet Rock. "Hold on, ice top, this is gonna get bumpy!"

"Ohhh!" I cried as we dove straight to Rock, with the beast drones closing in.


	4. Remembering the Storm

_Author's Notes: Wow, it has been **awhile! **Sorry for such a long delay guys, but I've been having trouble with my leisure time lately, and college life and summer holidays has really sapped my strength to carry on and do anything. But here I am, with the long awaited FIFTH CHAPTER! It's long, but I hope it's worth it._

_More to come! Enjoy the read guys! _

_-Raven_

**Chapter 4: Remembering the Storm**

"We've landed, your highness."

It was the familiar voice of Kylenn that woke me from my daydream. Indeed, the ship had landed in the hanger bay, and the ramp was opening. I unfastened the buckles of my seat and let my two guards escort me outside.

"Thank you, men. You may return to your posts."

"Your highness," they bowed respectfully before they left to their other duties.

Femur joined me just after I sent the guards away, seeing the melancholic look that failed to wane from the past weeks of lamenting. With a comforting hand on my shoulder, he led me to the exit doors that connected to the medical facilities.

We wandered down large corridors past a number of occupied rooms. All were filled with the sick and wounded, most of which were casualties from the destruction inflicted by the raid. The soldiers were in poor shape, and the morale was waning among the faces of the men ever since the attack. The news of Pyrus' injuries had brought the fire people within an inch of spiritual collapse, which threatened to diminish the already disappearing strength of the Alliance. But now, despite the heavy losses, it was at least comforting that Pyrus was able to wake from his coma.

I just hoped things would get better.

Femur paused before a closed door, where the readout display near the control panel read Pyrus' name. He looked at me and nodded, a gesture of his hand pointing to the doorway.

Mustering up all my available courage, I pressed the open command on the panel, making my way into the room slowly.

There was an amassed crowd, having formed around the bed that occupied part of the west wall. Graveheart was speaking at the time, but I couldn't articulate what he was saying. Femur walked further into the room.

"Hey guys, she's here!" came his announcement. Everyone diverted their attentions, noticing me at the doorway. The reactions were somewhat laced with glee and anticipation, kind of like the contented looks people give to little babies. I could feel my cheeks glow from the embarrassment.

"Zera," said Graveheart respectfully. "You're here. Just in time."

I looked up at the faces of the people that adorned the room; an assembly of different cultures in different shapes and forms, enriching the ethnicity of the bond our peoples shared. But most important of all, they were also my family. There was Graveheart and my father, who both gave gentle smiles. Jade and Tekla gave encouraging glances, while Zuma simply bowed. Femur took his place alongside the others, smiling suspiciously. Pelvis, his somewhat humble servant, nodded his respect.

The crowd parted as to allow me passage.

And there he was, lying there draped in a blanket as he breathed weakly through the oxygen mask, eyes half-open and weary. As I approached him, he turned his head slightly in my direction, managing a half-grin through the pain searing his lower body. Unmistakably, this was none other than Pyrus.

For a moment, I shook nervously as I slowly closed the distance between us. Never had I imagined how tense I was when the scenario came before me; Pyrus was awake, and he was smiling at me. But there were no words that I could muster which would express the bliss I felt, looking into those eyes. . .

My face contorted into exasperation, when I remembered the others in the room.

The shuffles of several pairs of feet, as well as the silent whir of the door sliding shut were the only sounds that echoed within the room before the silence became apparent. For what felt like years, there was only the beep of the heart monitor, the heaves of Pyrus' breathing, and finally, the sound of his voice.

"Hey princess."

For a minute, it felt like my heart would rupture from the tension. My shoulders eventually learned to relax, and I managed to respond with a slight smirk.

"Lavahead."

Pyrus gave an alleviated sigh, the signs of fatigue wearing away at his features. "You don't change do you?"

"No," I scoffed. "I guess not."

I sat in the empty chair next to his bedside. We exchanged curious glances, as if we were conversing telepathically, trying to decipher what had happened to us since our long period of separation. The sad smile stayed imprinted on his face, locking me in place. From there, we shared the passing moments quietly.

I couldn't tell what he was thinking, the way his eyes hazed halfway between sleep and consciousness. If only I could tell what he was thinking about right now, the way he stared at me with those deep blue irises. Zuma offered to read his thoughts once for my sake, when he was still in his coma, so maybe. . .

No. . . it wasn't necessary – I told her I would learn of his thoughts when he awoke; invading his privacy would forever shatter whatever reverence he had towards me. My faith in his strength was never wrong, and the fact that he was alive now affirmed it. The things I wanted to say, now lost in my struggle for words, was what kept me muted, but neither of us seemed to mind though as we drank in each other's presence.

Our minds seemingly drifted from the surrounding room, remembering the day that had led to this moment, as our gazes became lost in one another's. . .

- - - - - - -

Another volley of null energy skimmed the hull of the bladewing, taking its toll on the lonely fighter, and on the both of us contained inside. We were getting tossed around in our seats as Pyrus attempted to avoid the damage as much as possible. But as good a manoeuvrable ship it was, and as experienced as Pyrus was at piloting, we were still outnumbered and outgunned by seventeen fighter drones, who now clung in hot pursuit.

"We can't take much more of this!" said Pyrus as he looked at the extensive damage readings on his left HUD; besides the hull damage, only half the guns were working, one of the turning thrusters were malfunctioning, and several of the auxiliary systems were offline.

"Hello? Hello? Come in anyone?" I cried frantically into the commlink. "This is Princess Zera and Prince Pyrus, and we're under heavy att-!" Sparks and flame discharged from the panel in reply, making me jolt back into my seat. "Even the comm's been shot!"

"No kidding!" Pyrus coughed, trying not to get distracted as the thickening smoke began to obscure his vision. Then the ship shook as it became wreathed in flame. "We've entered the atmosphere! We gotta find a place to land, or we're toast!"

"The co-ordinates are sketchy," I said, working with the erratic navmap display. "But I think I got a slight fix on the nearest landing field!"

"You sure?"

"Do you doubt me?" I scowled.

"Just checking!"

As the descent through the atmosphere ended, he pushed the control yolk forward, sending the bladewing down into a steep dive. I hung onto dear life as the g-forces threatened to tear the carapace off my body.

"Hold on Zera, this is gonna be a bumpy ride!" exclaimed Pyrus, with a lace of insanity in his sarcasm.

I managed a confused smirk; that line seemed too familiar.

He piloted the fighter low into a mountain chain, rolling left and right as he steered around the rocky outcroppings that protruded from the surface. Enemy fire continued to stream past us, signalling that the beast drones were still gaining. I caught a glimpse of two of the fighters both trying to circumvent a stalactite, only to crash into one another, then gyrating and hitting solid rock at Mach 3 before the spectacle became hidden behind the blind spot.

"That's two less to worry about," I reported. It brought us only small comfort.

Pyrus maintained an extreme focus ahead of him, as I looked at him to assess his well-being. I followed his stare to a large mountainous wall, and it was getting larger as we closed in. A large narrow vertical fissure in the distance marked the entrance to a steep chasm, his intended target.

"Pyrus," I shook my head frantically in protest. "No way, no way! We're not going in the-!"

"We have a better chance through their than in a dogfight. Just sit tight, ice top."

The intensity in his face frightened me along with his unusually calm voice, leaving me too petrified to even start an argument. It was evident my life was in his hands for the time being.

We entered the chasm within a few short minutes, where there was even less space to navigate, but just as difficult for the beast drones. I watched as four more of the beast fighters collided into the rocks, their manoeuvring hindered by the density of beast ships between them. Besides the three that continued the chase, the rest broke off from formation, heading in some other direction, probably towards a more important target. Pyrus continued to skilfully lead the ship through the chasm, dodging enemy fire, as our pursuers came in matching speed.

It was then that I noticed the chasm was getting narrower every second.

"Pyrus. . ." I urged him quietly, touching his right arm, which was extremely tense as it clutched the control yolk.

"I know Zera," he said reassuringly, reaching over his left hand to touch mine. He looked at me from his peripheral vision, and grinned slightly. "Trust me." His tone was soothing, even while death was nipping at our heels.

I nodded, and he switched hands this time so that his right gripped onto my extended left. The reaction of our different body chemistries again triggered the common event that vented from between our fingertips. Steam filled the empty space that separated us as we clutched tightly, enveloped by the strange sensations of each other's touch. I hazed in and out of my thoughts as I breathed in some of the vapour, which made the tingling drip further down my spine. We were no stranger to this sort of thing, but from all the times I gathered of the both of us, having touched or gripped one another, either during our sparring practices or in our petty arguments, never had we held like this before . . .

Reality came rushing back the moment Pyrus pulled the control yolk back, bringing the bladewing into a sudden vertical climb, barely missing the chasm's dead-end. My hand loosed from his just as quickly. Following the sharp manoeuvre were the sounds of exploding null energy, marking the head-on impact of two beast drones into the dense earth, with the escalating volume of something slicing the air at high speed directly behind us.

"Eat my dust, freak," he mutters under his breath. A slight smirk... accompanied by a gentle squeeze of the trigger.

The remaining forward cannons fired rapidly upward into the rock wall, sending a shower of particles and debris down on top of us, growing thicker as it descended downwards. We passed through it easily, the rest followed in desired effect.

The Beast drone watched as the dust cloud engulfed his ship, everything past his field of vision became smothered in a vaccum of brown and black. He quickly looks to his readings-

And like his friends, he didn't see how close the rocks were.

As we broke clear of the chasm, the air became calm again, absent of a pursuer or of incoming fire. Both of us breathed a long sigh of relief, working off the strain of the entire ordeal.

"That was close. . ." I gasped between deep calming breaths. "Remind me never to ride with you again."

"When you ride Air-Pyrus, you ride first class," he chuckles weakly to his own joke, then stops to look over to his left, as if checking on something.

"That was so lame, Pyrus," I stated to him, trying to hold back any signs of amusement, but just slightly. He returns my look, displaying his trademark grin, before turning back to the view of the cockpit window, where indeed the looming eyesore of the Rock palace pierced the mist.

"We're here! The airfield is right there, just behind the palace!" I exclaimed, pointing at the nearly derelict outcropping of metal.

The alarm had indeed spread throughout all the planets; already the Rock troops were scrambling every Arrowhead into the air, moving out to repel the Beast invasion. It was my first time seeing such a spectacle from this angle.

We were skimming the mountain range, just a few hundred yards from the docking pads, nearly home free.

"I told you I was right," I boasted haughtily.

There was no reaction, except for an attempt to suppress a deep choking cough, probably due to the smoke still spewing from the burnt out control panels. He hunched somewhat, turning his head stiffly to his left. . .

"Um, Pyrus," I turned to him, seeing that his focus wasn't forward. "Pay attention please."

He lifts his head in reply, almost labouringly, the sacks under his eyes seeming to bulge more. It was when I felt the ship lean left, right into the-

"PYRUS! WATCH OUT!"

The image of the oncoming cliff earned a shaken gasp from Pyrus. He steered the bladewing in the opposite direction, saving us from a direct collision, but not from what was about to come next. The screech of tearing metal tore through our heads like a mad current before the bladewing began winding out of control.

"Pyrus!" I screamed, trying to reach for his controls, but the ship was tumbling too violently for me to grasp onto anything. The bladewing spun in three-sixties and the port side engine, gashed open by the sharp cliff, had caught fire. Through the chaos I saw Pyrus struggling with the reins with one hand, while his other seemed lost at his side. The alarms drowned out my cries to him as he fought to keep the ship level, the tension in his face tighter than ever.

The bladewing was accelerating abnormally, and the loose shaking of the outer hull plating meant it was ready to come apart at the seams. The ground came at us fast as Pyrus levelled the ship for a crash landing. I shut my eyes, screaming in terror as I conceived a painful demise, the high pitched whine in the air singing the death hymn to transition.

In an instant, almost all sound seemed to mute, and all I could sense was my body being tossed about the compartment, with the world vibrating around me as a storm seemed to rage outside my mind.

My eyes opened, and I found myself still strapped to my seat.

As soon as my head began to grasp the current situation, I inspected myself hastily for wounds. My eyes widened in surprise, after finding myself untouched by the apparent crash.

Sunlight was shining through the tears in the hull, with loose wires and circuits dangling from the scorched metal. The entrance platform that once sealed the rear portion of the bladewing lay twisted and bent in the trail of wreckage behind us some several yards away, its absence letting more of the light pour in. It was a clear assurance that I was alive.

The monitors in front of me caught fire, and I leapt out of my harnesses to avoid getting burned.

That was when I turned to Pyrus, who was still slouched in his seat, breathing heavily with his right hand dangling to his side, holding the control yolk snapped from its fixture.

My face contorted from disbelief to utter hatred, and I kept my distance as Pyrus turned his head towards me, his expression a mix of confusion, fear, and apology. His lips quivered, mouthing words to speak, but something within his voice seemed to fail him.

The feeling of having been within seconds of dying horribly came back to me; the way the ground seemed to come so fast, the way my life seemed to flash before my eyes before I could imagine myself being burned alive in the fiery crash. It was the most terrible feeling I had ever experienced. I entrusted Pyrus with my life, and he had almost thrown it away out of carelessness.

I clenched my fists and unleashed all my pent up emotional fury.

"You. . . you. . . YYYYOOOOUUUU!" I screamed at him, my body shaking madly. "WHAT IN THE GREAT GLACIER WERE YOU DOING! WE WERE HOME FREE AND YOU COULDN'T EVEN STAY FOCUSED FOR TEN-MORE-SECONDS!" My voice broke down at the last three words, and that was when I drew back and struck him in the face. He recoiled from the vicious blow, his face disappearing from sight, which was when I stormed out.

Trying to fight back the wetness in my eyes, I kept screaming. "YOU WERE ALWAYS LIKE THAT, PYRUS! YOU WERE ALWAYS THE HOTSHOT, WEREN'T YOU! ALWAYS RISKING EVERYTHING IN YOUR STUPID PLANS! NOT ONLY THAT, YOU HAVE TO DRAG ME ALONG IN THE PROCESS!"

I gasped for air, then continued. "MAYBE YOU GOT A DEATHWISH FOR YOURSELF, BUT I DON'T! OF ALL THE TIMES I'VE STUCK WITH YOU, I HAVE FINALLY HAD IT! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU SO MUCH! I HATE-"

When I turned around, the image that would haunt me for the weeks to come became freshly etched into my mind.

Pyrus was stumbling towards me, his legs dragging across the floor of the runway, yellow blood flowing from a gaping wound in his left side, his left arm dangling and dripping the same fluid. His face was badly bruised from the punch I gave him, blood dripping from his half-open mouth because of it. His eyes, sagging and filled with fatigue, were watery, wide, and desperate. He reached his right hand towards me, shaking badly, and that was when I saw his tears flowing. It was then I realized I had wounded him badly, worse than what the crash did to his body.

My knees buckled together along with my arms, my hands reaching to cover my mouth, to smother my urge to scream. I was frozen by pure terror, watching Pyrus lurch towards me like a ghost. A powerful sense of guilt came and stabbed me in the heart, as the state of Pyrus' wounds, and the recollection of the events during the flight, made me realize what had happened. The tears came, but they were no longer out of feelings of hatred.

"Pyrus..." I uttered from what was left of my voice. I reached out and moved towards him as well. "By the glacier... Pyrus... I-I'm so-"

Again, there was no sound, as my focus lay narrowed on Pyrus' face, filled with hurt and pleading...

Then, there was a bright flash from behind him...

His eyes widened out of surprise...

... His face came closer... his mouth opens to cry out...

... I saw the sky... the sun was setting...

... The ground struck my back... a warm sensation filled my body...

... The sky darkened with black shapes... I turn my head...

... Pyrus was staring at me... those gentle eyes...

... A man is wreathed in flame, flailing as hell burned around him...

I blinked rapidly, and saw the rock soldier scream as his uniform had caught fire. He pats himself desperately before careening over the side into the deep canyon below. I looked up and saw the fighter drones strafe the men on the runway, some scrambling to their own ships, while others fired back with their rifles. The sound of the anti-air defenses doing their work was deafening.

Then I turned back, and saw Pyrus' face close to mine, his arms draped around me protectively, and hoarse sounds of breath emanating from his lips, the bleeding in his wounds worse than before.

I gasped and got upright, finding myself in the shadow of an Arrowhead. Everyone was too distracted by the attack to help us, and Pyrus' condition needed immediate attention.

"S-stay here," I stuttered, and entered the Arrowhead, searching for a medkit. Finding one in the emergency compartment, I rushed back to his side. "On your back..." I whispered, easing him down. "That's it..." Gently laying him down flat, I soon saw the true severity of his condition; bits of shrapnel had been embedded in parts of his upper left arm, and the deep gash looked like it was caused by something big, and had been removed from the wound, probably beforehand by Pyrus. His blood was almost scalding, making it a little more difficult to touch him.

I whimpered and steadied myself.

"Hang on, Pyrus," I stifled a sob, and exhaled my nanites onto his wounded side. The wound half-closed and he flinched from the feeling of cold on his exposed flesh. I breathed in, and did it again, and again, but the wound refused to completely heal. He spluttered and more blood came out of his mouth, his breathing becoming a bit hoarser than before. My mind was in a panic, not knowing what else was wrong with him. I whispered soothing words into his ear as I turned him over again slightly.

Two deep marks were etched into his back as well, caused by two pieces of shrapnel, but they were deep into his flesh, and there was no way I could remove any ot them; I was no surgeon, and even if I was, I needed more than a medkit to save him.

A stale sort of greyness was spreading across his skin; something I had seen before, and I knew what it meant. His breathing became shallower, and he fluttered his eyes, struggling to stay awake. I had never felt this powerless since my mother's death.

"By the glacier..." I whimpered to myself, wrapping the bandages around his bleeding side, and trying to calm Pyrus. "There there... everything's going to be alright..." My voice was breaking, my mind knowing that the situation was the exact opposite.

Without saying a word, he put his bloodied hand over mine, at the same time turning his head to look at me. He massaged the back of my palm, and his breathing became slower. Our glances met, and while forcing back some of his pain, Pyrus smiled slightly.

For a moment I froze to this, seeing the calmness in his expression eerie. I couldn't decipher what it meant, since I was too worried about his condition to think about it. But after a few seconds of looking into those dark blue irises, I felt a deep sense of hope, and I returned a grin as well.

His eyes then began to wander, the smile fading from his features. That was when his head went slack, along with the grip in his hand. It wasn't long before the sudden realization struck me hard.

"No..." I shook my head, at first trying not to look at him. Then the tears came, and I only shook my head more violently. "No...! No! This isn't happening!" I turned to Pyrus's face again and held him even closer. "I won't let you!" I pressed my mouth to his, venting as many of my nanites as I could into him, my mind seething with desperation. I wasn't sure if what I was doing would work, but it was the only thing I could think of that might help him.

Sobbing quietly, I cradled his limp body in my lap, unwilling to look back at his empty stare. I didn't know how long I sat there beside him, but it felt like an eternity before the moment I collapsed.

The battle raged on, and the darkness soon took me...

- - - - - - -

I awoke four days later, having recovered from a severe nanite deficiency in my system.

The raid was thwarted off by the air defenses and fast responding pilots, leaving only a ragged mixed unit to retreat back into space. Pyrus and I were found sometime after I passed out.

He was much more worse off than I was; he had suffered everything from burns, bruises, cuts, gashes, broken ribs, shrapnel wounds, and internal bleeding, all which had been inflicted during our flight away from the beast drones (I could remember the exploding panels all too well), the crash, and finally the explosion from the wrecked bladewing. The doctors were amazed he could sustain himself for so long, long enough for me to give him the nanites that saved his life. They evidently slowed down a lot of his bleeding and healed some of his internal wounds, giving the field medics that discovered us time to carry him to the doctors.

And here we were, having emerged from that traumatic event, wondering where the time had passed.

We came back to our senses, the blipping of the heart monitor returning to our ears. It was the only noise that permeated the room, and filled the silent gap between us.

"Quite a right hook you got there."

My mind reeled over everything from the past two weeks; the nightmares, the ghostly image of Pyrus' mangled body, the thoughts of losing him forever, the crying, the worrying, that day at the burning airfield, the endless nights of mourning... and all the pain I had caused him, and all the apologies I should had, but didn't say.

Without thinking, I took hold of Pyrus' right hand in both of mine, and pressed it to my cheek, my body shaking madly. I closed my eyes tight and drew closer to his bedside, burying my face in the warmth of his palm.

I had never cried so hard in my life.


End file.
